Finger pad for dental instruments

ABSTRACT

A finger pad for utilization in connection with angled dental instruments such as pluggers, margin trimmers, enamel hatchets, etc. The finger pad includes a piece of plastic or similar material mounted on the angled portion of the instrument and provided with pressure points contoured into the pad for reception of the tip of the operator&#39;&#39;s finger. The contoured portions are positioned so that a direct pressure is properly directed toward the tip of the tool thereby eliminating inaccuracies. The pad can either be removably placed on the angled portion of the tool, permanently secured to the end of the tool handle or made integral therewith.

United States Patent [1 1 Malmin 1March 20, 1973 FINGER PAD FOR DENTALPrimary Examiner-Robert Peshock INSTRUMENTS Attorney-Freeman & Taylor[76] Inventor: Oscar Malmin, 127 East Wayne Avenue, Akron, Ohio 44301[571 ABSTRACT [22] Filed; May 28, 7 A finger pad for utilization inconnection with angled Appl. No.: 147,858

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2/ 1932 Hallowell ..32/50 3/1930Bracht ..30/295 dental instruments such as pluggers, margin trimmers,enamel hatchets, etc. The finger pad includes a piece of plastic orsimilar material mounted on the angled portion of the instrument andprovided with pressure points contoured into the pad for reception ofthe tip of the operator's finger. The contoured portions are positionedso that a direct pressure is properly directed toward the tip of thetool thereby eliminating inaccuracies. The pad can either be removablyplaced on the angled portion of the tool, permanently secured to the endof the tool handle or made integral therewith.

4 Claims, 7 Drawing Figures PATENTEDMARZO 197s INVENTOR. 05cm? MA LM/NATTORNEYS FINGER PAD FOR DENTAL INSTRUMENTS BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTIONThis invention primarily relates to hand-held dental tools andspecifically relates to angled dental instruments which are operated byfinger pressure.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PRIOR ART At the present time, there are a largenumber of dental instruments such as pluggers, margin trimmers, enamelhatchets, etc., all of which have in common an elongate handle which isheld normally between the thumb and middle finger and which have anangled projection emanating therefrom.

Typical of these tools are pluggers, which are utilized to tamp, plug,or force filler material into a cavity in the tooth. In the existinginstruments, the actual working portion of the plugger, for example, isa thin angled wire-like member which has one end secured to the end ofthe handle while the opposed end is actually inserted into the tooth. Inconventional practice, the index finger of the user is placed upon theend of the handle to apply downward pressure to the plugger.

The difficulty encountered here is that the wire extension or theoperative end of the tool tends to flex about its point of attachment tothe handle. This causes the tip itself, which is doing the work, toactually tend to move in a circular direction resulting in a lack ofaccuracy. Similar difficulties are encountered with other hand-heldtools including tools in which the forces are applied from the side. Dueto the fact that the actual working end of the tool is thin andflexible, it is not possible under present conditions to obtain accuratecontrol of the ultimate end of the tip.

Applicant is not aware of any pertinent prior patent art.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It has been discovered that the above noteddisadvantages in the existing pluggers or similar hand instruments canbe obviated by providing a pad or built-up member on the wire portion ofthe tool.

It has been found that certain areas of this pad can be contoured toreceive the tip of the index finger of the user. In this fashion, it hasbeen found that the pressure from the finger tip is more accuratelydirected to the tip of the tool, thereby giving the operator muchgreater control over the instrument than is presently the case.

It has been found that a pad of this nature can either be removablyprovided so as to slip onto the wire extension or can be permanentlyaffixed to the end of the tool handle or can be made as an integral partof the tool.

Accordingly, production of an improved finger pad for dental instrumentshaving the above noted characteristics becomes the principal object ofthis invention, with other objects thereof becoming more apparent upon areading of the following brief specification, considered and interpretedin view of the drawings.

Of the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing one version of the improved fingerpad.

FIG. 2 is a sectional view taken along the line 2-2 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken along the line 3-3 of FIG. 2.

FIG. 4 is a view similar to FIG. 2 showing a modified form of theinvention.

FIG. 5 is a sectional view taken along the line 5-5 of FIG. 4.

FIG. 6 is a view similar to FIGS. 2 and 4 showing another modification.

FIG. 7 is a partial plan view taken along the line 77 of FIG. 6.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Considering first FIG. 1, itwill be noted that the tool or instrument per se, generally indicated bythe numeral 10, includes an elongate handle 11 having a tapered orreduced diameter end 12 to which is secured the actual operative part ofthe instrument 13. In the form of the invention shown, the tool is whatis commonly known as the plugger, which is a tool utilized to tamp,plug, or force filler material into the tooth. The operative portion 13comprises an elongate wire-like member having a reduced diameteroutboard end 15, which is the area or portion thereof which is insertedinto the tooth, with the opposed end thereof being secured to the end 12of handle 11 in conventional fashion.

As will be noted, the wire portion 13 is bent and basically L-shapedwhen viewed in elevation such as in FIG. 2.

With the conventional tool of this nature, the tip of the index fingerof the user would be placed on the end 12 of the handle 11 to ultimatelyapply pressure to the tip 15. However, there is a tendency for the toolto flex about the point 16 due to the fact that the member 13 is arelatively thin wire material.

It should be noted at this point. that while a plugger has beenillustrated, there are a wide variety of hand instruments of thisgeneral nature differing principally in the precise configuration of thecomponent 13.

Referring again to FIGS. 1, 2, and 3, it will be noted that a pad 20 isprovided, with the pad encircling a goodly portion of the element 13 andalso being secured to the end 12 of the handle 11. The method ofsecuring is optional and could be accomplished by welding, cementing,resilient or spring lock, friction, or any other suitable securingmethod, depending upon the material involved in the tool and the pad.

Also, and as pointed out above, the pad 20 has a through bore 22 whichreceives the wire member 13.

Referring next to FIG. 3, it will be noted that there i are threecontoured areas 23, 24, and 25 on the top surface of the pad 20. Thus,when a straight, downward pressure is desired on tip 15, the user wouldplace his index finger on the contoured area 23. In view of the factthat this area lies directly above the high-point 14 of the wire 13,this pressure will be directed substantially in a straight line to thetip 15, thereby avoiding the flexing about point 16 referred to aboveand providing greater control. When it is desired to apply pressure fromeither the left or right hand side of the instrument, the index fingerwould be placed in either the contoured areas 24 or 25 as the case maybe.

In this fashion, greater control and accuracy can be obtained.

Turning next then to FIGS. 4 and 5 which show modified forms of theinvention, it will be noted that the instrument 10 per se is identicalwith the instrument illustrated in FIGS. 1 through 3. The onlydifference in this particular application is that the pad 20 does notencircle the end of the handle 11, but merely butts up against it as at17. This type of pad would, of course, be made with the through centralaperture 22 and could be removable if desired. The contoured areas 24,23 and 25 would, of course, be the same and the method of operationwould likewise be the same.

Referring to FIGS. 6 and 7 for a still further modification, it will benoted that this particular modification utilizes an integral pad. Thus,the wire or operative part of the tool 13 simply has an enlarged area120 which serves as the pad. This area has its similar contouredsurfaces 124, 123 and 125 and operation is identical with the operationof the forms of the invention shown in FIGS. 1 through 5.

It has been shown therefore how a simple but effective and economicimprovement can be made to existing hand-operated dental instruments toinsure a greater accuracy and comfort for the user thereof.

It should be noted that while plastic has been referred to as thematerial for the pad in the form of the invention shown in FIGS. 1through 5, that the invention is not intended to be so limited and thatany suitable material could be utilized.

It should also be stressed that while the invention has been illustratedand described primarily in conjunction with a plugger, that again, it isnot intended to be so limited and could be utilized equally well withany suitable hand-operated instrument requiring the application ofpressure by the user.

While a full and complete description of the invention has been setforth in accordance with the dictates of the Patent Statutes, it is tobe understood that modifications can be resorted to without departingfrom the spirit hereof or the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. In combination with an angled hand operated dental tool for applyingvertical pressure having a handle and a projecting, elongate operativemember that projects from one end of said handle and has an operativeportion that has its longitudinal axis disposed at a substantially rightangle with respect to the longitudinal axis of said handle, theimprovement comprising;

A. an enlarged pressure-receiving area carried by said operative memberand overlying said longitudinal axis of said operative portion thereof.

2. The device of claim 1 wherein said pressurereceiving area includes aremovable contoured pad adapted to be releasably secured to saidoperative member.

3. The device of claim 1 wherein said pressurereceiving member alsoengages said end of said handle.

4. The device of claim 1 wherein said I pressurereceiving memberincludes an integral contoured enlargement of a portion of saidoperative member.

1. In combination with an angled hand operated dental tool for applyingvertical pressure having a handle and a projecting, elongate operativemember that projects from one end of said handle and has an operativeportion that has its longitudinal axis disposed at a substantially rightangle with respect to the longitudinal axis of said handle, theimprovement comprising; A. an enlarged pressure-receiving area carriedby said operative member and overlying said longitudinal axis of saidoperative portion thereof.
 2. The device of claim 1 wherein saidpressure-receiving area includes a removable contoured pad adapted to bereleasably secured to said operative member.
 3. The device of claim 1wherein said pressure-receiving member also engages said end of saidhandle.
 4. The device of claim 1 wherein said pressure-receiving memberincludes an integral contoured enlargement of a portion of saidoperative member.